


The powers of observation (except he's really bad at it)

by EpiKatt



Category: Call of Duty (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Depression, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Introspection, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Staring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:55:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26279782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EpiKatt/pseuds/EpiKatt
Summary: Roach's pov on some key moments in Soap and Price's relationship.
Relationships: John "Soap" MacTavish/John Price, Simon "Ghost" Riley/Gary "Roach" Sanderson
Comments: 4
Kudos: 53





	The powers of observation (except he's really bad at it)

**Author's Note:**

> With school this took me two days. If I wrote this on a weekend it would have taken three hours. Yikes.
> 
> For once the title isn't a song name. Woo. Have fun reading this! Outsider pov is fun I really like it.
> 
> (Unbeta'd once more, no one is surprised.)

It was at the tail end of Operation Kingpin that Roach really started to notice. He was still new, nickname barely broken in, and he wasn’t quite keyed into the team dynamic, but the way Soap reacted to Price staying behind… Not that Roach wouldn’t feel his own anguish over losing a friend or comrade, Soap’s spoke of an even more personal relationship. He’d ask Ghost, but frankly, the lieutenant scared him.

Looking across the cafeteria, he saw Soap slumped over, shoulders tight and still. He wasn’t moving at all, food on the tray in front of him untouched. At the sight, Roach couldn’t quite hold back the memories from a few days prior.

_ Even only knowing the captain a couple months, leaving him by himself in that field felt cruel and unfair, but Roach was slowly getting accustomed to cruel and unfair.  _

_ As the chopper started to rise, he glanced over and saw Soap leaning forward, wavering even as he desperately tried to keep his eyes on Price, pure pain in his glazed eyes and on his bloodied face, blood curling around his eyebrow and dripping into his eye. Roach knew that if he weren’t so focused on the captain’s furthering form, Soap would be cracking jokes about stuff always being in his bloody eyes, which would earn something Roach was hesitant to call a fond glare from Price and a sigh from Ghost. Roach hadn’t decided what his response in these situations would be yet. _

_ “Fuck!” Soap growled, voice slurring slightly. Roach was certain he had a concussion.  _

_ Roach stayed silent, unsure of what to say, scared he would ask the wrong questions about Soap and Price’s relationship and Soap would lash out. He left the comforting to Ghost, he talked in a low voice to Soap, even as it didn’t seem to help. _

_ They were far enough away that the forms below were blurred figures, but even he saw one of them go down, but not all the way. He glanced over to make sure Soap hadn’t seen before settling back in his seat. He couldn’t help but hoped the captain died, for his own sake. _

_ Who knew what the Russians would do to him. _

  
  
  


The next few months saw Soap quiet and silently grieving, whether for a commander, friend, or, Roach blushed a little just thinking it, a lover. But grieving wasn’t the only thing that happened, Soap saw a promotion due to the absence in said position. Roach knew Soap took it because he had to, but he could see the fury in his eyes, in the tense line of his shoulders and the clench of his jaw. Soap hated the position he was filling. Roach didn’t take it personally; knew that it wasn’t the team itself but the reasons why the position was open in the first place.

Was nearly a year later when Soap started acting like his former self, and Roach was grateful. After getting a knowing look from Ghost after Soap delivered a raunchy one liner, Roach knew he’d been caught paying too much attention.

  
  
  


Several years later, Roach with his own promotion and grudging military relationship, saw him dangling off a rope, barely clipped on while artillery thundered below him, body slightly singed. The air still shook, causing his teeth to rattle a little, even at the height they were at and steadily gaining distance away.

Roach couldn’t help but smile.  _ Price was back. He’s alive!  _ Roach wasn’t afraid to admit that most of his excitement was knowing that Soap was going to be ecstatic, less staring into the distance when he thought about Price. Or, Roach  _ thought  _ he was thinking about Price, it was the only thing he could come up with.

Seeing Soap’s face even while he was on the ground as Soap recognized who was pointing the gun, he found he couldn’t be angry about being decked in the face. Was proud to say Price still had a mean left hook.

  
  
  


That evening, or rather, the middle of the bloody night, as Ghost would say, and had, several times, they were all huddled together at a base somewhere in Europe that Roach didn’t bother learning the name of. 

Roach wasn’t afraid to admit that he was sat closer than what was called for next to Ghost on the couch, but he side eyed to the right and saw that Price and Soap were in a similar position, if not even closer than he and Ghost.

The two of them were leaning into each other and talking quietly to each other, but he was too far away to hear. From the frowns on both their faces though, he could imagine it wasn’t anything good.

Roach cleared his throat nervously and turned to Ghost. “You think they were a couple?” he asked quietly, giving into the urge he had to ask years ago. Ghost didn’t have his sunglasses on so Roach could see him quirk his eyebrow.

“You’re askin’ that  _ now? _ ” he asked incredulously, though his voice was low as well. 

Roach put on an affronted expression. “Yeah, and?”

Ghost snorted and tipped his head back in disbelief. “You’re sayin’ you didn’t  _ know?”  _ Ghost demanded.

Roach froze. “What?”

Ghost turned to look at him and just shook his head. “And he’s serious,” he seemed to mutter to himself before focusing back on Roach. “Bug, they were and  _ are  _ such an obvious couple, I’m amazed Shepherd hasn’t reprimanded them,” Ghost explained, eyes squinted like he was smiling. Roach glanced over at the pair on the couch and saw Price with his hand on Soap’s face gently, Soap looking at him with a soft gaze. 

Roach swallowed and quickly looked away, ears burning. “Fuck.”

“There he is!” Ghost exclaimed with a laugh, seeming to forget for a moment they were going after Makarov the next day.

At Ghost’s outburst, Price snatched his hand back and he and Soap looked at them sharply, eyes narrowed in vague annoyance.

Ghost was too preoccupied by continuing to laugh at the complete embarrassment written on Roach’s face. He’d  _ suspected,  _ but looking back, he guessed he could see how obvious it was. Even knowing Ghost had the advantage of knowing the pair a little longer than him, Roach could think of a few scenarios even before Op. Kingpin that snagged his attention, even years later.

_ Soap with a gunshot graze and watching from a distance, as he was the newbie and didn’t want to piss Price off more than he already was. Gary, er, Roach, as he’d been rebranded after the mission they just arrived from after a building collapsed and he’d been in the one doorway still standing and then falling down a stairwell later and getting right back on. Ghost had laughed as he came up with it, which irked G- Roach a bit. He looked back at Soap and saw Price angrily muttering to Soap even as he treated and dressed the small wound, and the look on Soap’s face could only be described as fond. _

_ Price hungover and Soap laughing with the rest of us when he came stumbling in, but was kind enough to hand him ibuprofen and a water. Roach would later write off the unconscious settling of Price’s hand on Soap’s shoulder which Soap didn’t shrug off.  _

_ The night before the big operation. He might die tomorrow and all Roach was doing was getting a little buzzed while watching Soap and Price make bedroom eyes at each other. Roach would again, write it off as the lighting and him not being completely sober.  _

“I suspected!” Roach hissed, after the memories dissipated. Ghost just continued to shake his head. 

“I’ll never let you live this one down, bug,” he mused, relaxing back into the cushions.

“Oi! What’re you two laughing about? We’ve got things to discuss!” Soap said, but his eyes twinkled in good humor. 

  
  
  


They spoke plans loosely for about an hour before Price glanced over at Soap and they both went silent, causing Roach to go quiet as well while Ghost narrowed his eyes and frowned. 

“We weren’t sure whether to tell you two of our suspicions, but we found we’d rather be safe than sorry,” Soap said lowly, glancing to the entranceway across the room.

Ghost was already getting impatient. “Just bloody say it then!” he snapped.

Price’s face was grim.   
  


“Don’t trust Shepherd," Price murmured.

Roach frowned. Thankfully, Ghost spoke up before him.

"What should we do to alleviate suspicion?" Ghost asked, and Roach found it admirable with how he didn't even hesitate. They both trusted the men in front of them with their lives.

"Go on the mission tomorrow like normal, keep yours comms open when you get to the exfil zone so we can hear and record you and Shepherd's conversation. Try to do nonlethal blows to him and his men, but he's top priority, he can't die yet," Soap instructed.

Ghost and Roach were silent for a moment as they processed the information. 

"Understood," Roach murmured, eyes suddenly drooping. He was ready to get a few hours in. Ghost nodded his affirmation.

"Good. Make sure he doesn't get any information extracted either, we'll need that," Price added, standing and causing Soap to do the same.

"I do believe it's time for bed, gentlemen. Hopefully we'll see you again," Soap said quietly, voice sounding a little sad, before he and Price left.

Roach looked at Ghost. Ghost looked at Roach. 

"I love you," Roach blurted. He figured if they were gonna die tomorrow, might as well say what he's been meaning to for weeks. 

Ghost swallowed visibly before he grabbed Roach and yanked him into a tight embrace.

"I love you too, bug," he whispered, grip tight around Roach.

  
  
  


Roach was glad to have listened to Soap and Price the next day.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes you read that right, a sequel is currently being thought up. Not sure what's all gonna be in it but it's likely going to be longer than this but in a similar format.
> 
> Anyway, hope you liked, please leave a kudos I crave validation. 
> 
> *sighs* I'll dedicate this one to my European friend bc she let me rant about this one to her.


End file.
